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U : HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SIXTY-FIRST CONGRESS 



COLUMBUS DAY 

tit 

HEARING 

BEFORE THE 

COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY 

ON 

H. R. 4306, H. R. 5696, etc. 

APRIL 19, 1910 



WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1910 






D. OF D. 

'WAY 18 I9]Q 



COLUMBUS DAY. 



Committee on the Judiciary, 

House of Representatives, 

Tuesday, April 19, 1910. 
The committee met at 2 o'clock p. m., Hon. Reuben O. Moon 
(chairman) presiding. 
The subcommittee had under consideration the following bill: 

[H. R. 4306, Sixty-first Congress, first session.] 
A BILL To make October twelftli in each year a public holiday, to be called •' Coliunbus Day." 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America 
in Congress assembled, That the twelfth day of October in each and every year, being 
the anniversary day of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, be, and 
the same hereby is, made a legal public holiday, to be called "Columbus Day," to 
all intents and purposes in the same manner as the first Monday of September in each 
year is now made by law a public and legal holiday. 

STATEMENT OF HON. WILLIAM STJLZER, A REPRESENTATIVE 
IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 

The Chairman. Mr. Sulzer, you may now proceed. 

Mr. Sulzer. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, we 
appear here to-day in favor of the bill (H. R. 4306) introduced by me 
on the 24th day of March, 1909, entitled, ''A bill to make October 
twelfth in each year a public holiday, to be called 'Columbus Day.'" 
The bill is now before the members of the committee. Let me say 
that I have introduced this identical bill in several previous Con- 
gresses, and on April 28, 1906, there was a hearing on the bill before 
this committee. At that time a number of gentlemen appeared, 
as they do to-day, and spoke in favor of the bill, and numerous let- 
ters and resolutions were read and filed in favor of it, all of which 
were then printed as a document. 

I have no vanity in this matter. I am trying to get results, but 
I think I can safely saj^ that I was the first Member of Congress to 
introduce a bill to make October 12 a legal holiday (to be called 
"Columbus Day") within the jurisdiction of the United States; that 
is to say, in the District of Columbia and in the Territories. There 
is a precedent. My bill follows the legislation passed by Congress 
making the first Mondav in September a legal holidav, and called 
"Labor Day." The biirreads: 

That the twelfth day of October in each and every year, being the anniversary 
day of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, be, and the same hereby 
is, made a legal public holiday, to be called "Columbus Day," to all intents and 
purposes in the same manner as the first Monday of September in each year is now 
made by law a public and legal holidav. 

3 



4 COLUMBUS DAY. 

So there can be no question about the constitutionahty of this 
legislation or the right of Congress to enact such a law. The Labor 
Day legislation is a precedent. Of course, Congress has no authority 
to make a legal holiday in the States — that is purely a state matter — 
but I want to say that many of the ^States have already made the 
12th of October, "Columbus Day," a legal holidayS^^his is so in 
mj own State of New York, in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Colorado, 
^Snd s.eyeral (»tli(M Stales; .and. L have no doubt that the time is near 
at Hand when iicaily all of the States of the Union will make 
^ i(}oh ;im1)iis Day" a legal holida} . It should be a holida}^ in every 
State, and the greatest day in Pau-Aiiierica. 

As there are several gentlemen present who have come some 
distance and desire to be heard, I shall be very brief in what I have 
to say why "Columbus Day" should be a legal holiday. 

I prepared and introtluced this bill in Congress several years ago 
in response to what I believed then, and believe now, to be a general 
sentiment in favor of it prevailing throughout the country. That 
sentiment is increasmg. The discovery of America by Christopher 
Columbus on the I'ith day of October, 1492, marked a great epoch 
in the world's history, and did as much for humanity and civilization 
as any single agency in twenty centuries. It swept away the cobwebs 
of the dark ages; revolutionized science; struck a fatal blow to 
superstition; revived learning; stimulated human endeavor; opened 
the avenues of greater opportunities; changed the map of the world; 
lifted man to a higher plane and pushed him forward a giant step 
in the march of progress; and gave to the Old World a New World. 
All honor and all glor}^ to Christopher Columbus, one of the great 
heroic figures of the ages. If there is any event in all the history of 
America that should be commemorated, it is "discovery day;" 
and, in my judgment, it should be a holiday in every country on the 
Western Hemisphere ; and I predict that ere many years come and 
go it will be the one great Pan-American holiday, and celebrated 
by all the people from Cape Horn to Point Barrow in ever}^ country 
in the New A^ orld. 

Of course, I am aware that it is claimed by some that we have too 
many holidays now, but I do not sympathize with that claim. I 
am in favor of holidays now and then as days of rest and recreation 
for the people, and I believe these holidays make better men and 
women, accomplish much good, and are beneficial to the country. 
As a matter of fact, Congress in all its existence has passed only one 
bill concerning holidays, and that is the bill making the first Monday 
in September a legal holiday, and known as Labor Day. Many of 
the States by legal enactment have made other days legal holidays. 
I do not think, therefore, that the Congress will err if it pass this 
bill making the 12th day of October a legal holiday. I believe it 
will have a good influence and be beneficial to our citizens. It 
should be a great day of rejoicing. The holiday will come in the 
fall of the year at an opportune time — after the hot weather of the 
summer has passed — on a day when it will be peculiarly fitting to 
pause and contemplate all that has been accom[)lished for the good 
of humanity since Columbus first sighted hmd on tlie Western 
Hemisphere. 

This hoHday would come about a month after Labor Day — in the 
early autumn — and that is a very appropriate time for a liolida}'. I 



COLUMBUS DAY. 5 

know I voice tlie sentiments of lunulieds of tlioiisands of people all 
over this country when I say that this bill siiould become a law. It 
has been pending in this committee for several years. We want it 
reported. We believe that Congress will pass it. We are asking the 
Judiciary Committee to give us our day in court. We are entitled 
to this consideration. We have been knocking at your door for many 
years. We want the bill reported from the committee to the House. 
so that the House of Representatives can vote on it, yes or n oi/^ I am 
informed that 1 •' States. iii the Union have made C(:lu!id )u!s day a" 
1go:g,.Lholiday, and ulUers will follow every year.^ 1 l);>lieve tnat it 
this bill were reported to the House and brought to h vote it would be 
overwhelmingly passed ; and I appeal to the committee — as I have 
appealed to the committee many times before — not to keep this bill 
in the committee any longer, but to report it to the House and give 
the friends of this legislation their day in court. 

Now, Mr. Chairman, there is much more I could urge in favor of 
this bill, but I realize how limited the time of the committee is and 
how" anxious the gentlemen are who have come here from other 
States to be heard ; so I will take up no more time, and take pleasure 
in introducing to you as the next speaker in favor of this legislation 
Hon. John J. Freschi, a well-known lawyer of the city of New York. 

STATEMENT OF MR. JOHN J. FRESCHI, SECRETARY OF THE 
COLUMBUS DAY LEAGUE OF NEW YORK. 

Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the Judiciary Committee, I come 
here to pleatl in behalf of a gentleman who was never recognized in 
his lifetime and has been little recognized in the more than four hun- 
dred years that have elapsed since his happy demise. I say ''happy," 
because if Christopher Columbus were living to-day he would, without 
doubt, be treated in much the same way that a famous editor once 
treated a piece of news: 

"Chief," cried the breathless young reporter, as he dashed into the 
sanctum sanctorum, "12 people have been recently killed by a 
terrible explosion down the street." 

"AVliat nationality?" said the editor. 

"Italians," said the reporter. 

"Write one line," replied the editor, yawning. 

Columbus discovered America. At least our Government and 
our people have given feeble indications of that belief now and then, 
except in some vStates where it has been made a public holiday by law. 

The W^orld's Columbian Exposition, which it seems was made the 
excuse to give Chicago a public park, w^as but temporary, as was the 
coinage of the Columbian half dollar, which gave the collectors of 
ancient coin something new to catalogue. We have Columbus, Ohio, 
but some people say it is chiefly known as the home of Lew Dock- 
stader, and others say it is the site of the state penitentiary^. 

Somewhere l^ack in my memory I seem to have heard of a child 
named Christopher Columbus Smith; but I think the child suffered 
an early collapse under this cognomen, as I can not discover any 
record of its survival in our able census reports. 

Even commerce has neglected Columbus. No cigar is named after 
him; no brand of condensed milk bears his noble featin-es depicted 
on its label; no patented suspenders are sold to his memory; no 



6 COLUMBUS DAY. 

stuffed animals or toys are manufactured labeled with his name to 
give it popularity, such as the Teddy bear or the Taft 'possum. I 
must pause. Yes, there is a Columbia River salmon; and there is 
that melodious standby, "Colum])ia, the gem of the ocean," played 
on ever}^ piano and pianola, popular, and always played to celebrate 
some other holiday. 

Columbus day will serve as well to bring to our memories the origin 
of that poetical name of Columbia for these United States, derived 
from the latinized name of Columbus. 

We celebrate Washington's birthday, and recall the famous story 
of the cherry tree. We commemorate Lincoln's birthdav, and each 
recurring year reiterate the simple life of ''Honest Abe, the rail 
splitter and emancipator." We celebrate many other holidays and 
in a number of States even Arbor Day is a legal holiday, among them 
Arizona, Maryland, and New Mexico — Arbor Day to celebrate the 
devastation of our forests and by a puny attempt seek to rehabilitate 
them. When Columbus discovered this country there were plenty of 
trees and timber. It is, I suppose, our own fault that there are no 
trees to-day, and that fault has caused us to set aside Arbor Day; 
but gentlemen, we would not be liere to celebrate any day if it were 
not for Columbus. 

I have every respect for Washington, the father of our country; 
and I certainly revere the memory of Lincoln; but American history 
would have been a blank page had Christopher Columbus not dis- 
covered America. 

If it were not for the great discoverer, on the very spot where we 
now stand. Chief Kickapoo miglit be urging his squaws on to renewed 
labors in the field, thus founding an early suffragette movement. 

Those wlio are opposed to the establishment of Columbus day tell 
us that Columbus did not discover America. Assembl3anan Conklin 
and a few others made the same assertion in their unrelenting opposi- 
tion to the creation of such a holiday by the legislature of the wState 
of New York, that Columbus did not discover America. When such 
opponents assume, however, for the sake of the argument that the 
great discovery was made by Columbus, then they tell us that he is 
responsible for all that is evil in American life and politics. They 
charge the cancerous monopoly, spreading to and poisoning the vitals 
of government, to Columbus. Possibly, had Columbus been the 

V organizer and father of a political ])arty, as Jefferson and others were, 
the opposition would not be heard on a measure of this kind. 

'^ Wliether Columbus is responsible for these things or not, the one 

< great lesson of our early school days taught us in histor}^ forces the 
. X inevitable conclusion that the Old Workl, and civilization itself, owes 

>s. its progress to Columbus's discovery of America. 

'^' vA inatcfnl A iiuMiran people in the States of New York, Pennsyl- 

vania, X( w .!( r^,;'\ , Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode TslaiicT^ Ohio, 
Itfes oui-i, Montana, Colorado, a.nd other States have enacted a law 
making Octobei- 12 of each year a public holida3^-JCr^^at day was 
almost univei-sally ol)serve<l and the memory of Coldmbus honored, 

\^ I even in States where it was not a legal holitlay, on October 12 last. 
^C \ The day is growing in public favor, antl the movement to make it a 

^ * holiday seems to be national in character, notwithstanding the oppo- 
sition of a few bankers, and newspapers whose editors no doubt have 
private interests to conserve. 



COLUMBUS DAY. 7 

Bills of a similar nature are now pending in the legislature, I am 
informed, of Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, and Alabama. Virginia 
defeated a Columbus Day bill by a tie vote early last month. 

Columbus day should be made a public holiday for all the American 
people. It is the one day in each year which has more importance 
ajid significance attached to it than any other day, historically. 



♦-» -/ Cnlnn]h n[ ^ j ^ ^ yrorlf l pha.ra.f.tpr. . . ^e' an d his memory belo ng to all 
people. No nation c a q, ,, f } j^£^ im hiiii!. j^'liy aimtTLumy uf "IITs cE- 
covery— a ciiscovery rrom which, as •Emerson s^^lj, all (illiil'lij have 
been taken — sbould be a day lor general celeb ra tion as a~ " 

•^ 1111 iiii »i ii rft .iri M iii M i i nMii I n i T »«i ■ mi n i ^in i i, , in i iiiii r^-— *■'*■'■*■— T iitTnTiinnnniniiiit r*~*~*~" ' i » 



nation canclaim .hiffl. _jg"liy aim trw 
SCO very fi 
Deentaken^ 
>oliday .;^ 

STATEMENT OF HON. FRANCIS BURTON HARRISON, A REPRE- 
SENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 

The Chairman. IVIr. Harrison, we will be glad to hear you. Your 
billisH. K. 5696? 

Mr. Harrison. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, 
in view of the fact that prominent citizens of New York have appeared 
here in great numbers to be heard upon this measure, I shall make 
my remarks very brief. I will just call your attention to the fact 
that the bill H. R. 5696, to make Columbus Day a public holiday, 
was introduced by me at the preceding Congress and reintroduced 
by me on the 27th of March of last year, in the present Congress. 
In view of that, I ask your indulgence for a brief discussion of this 
matter. 

I represent a district in New York City on the upper east side 
which contains perhaps more citizens and inhabitants of Italian birth 
or ancestry than any other district in the United States. These people 
are contributing greatly to the industry and welfare of our city, and, 
indeed, of the nation, and deserve special consideration by the Congress. 

In behalf of those citizens and of all other patriotic Americans in 
my district I urge upon you the passage of this act. 

Of course we, in the National Legislature, in considering a matter of 
this sort, have no jurisdiction over the various States, whose own legis- 
latures are free to enact a law making Columbus day a holiday in each 
State. It is onl}^ in the District of Columbia and in the Territories of 
the United States that such a law passed by us can become practical. 
But all the same, the examples set to our National Congress by 
various States of the Union — among others New York, New Jersey, 
Penns.ylvania, and I hope and believe, soon at hand, the great State of 
Massachusetts — are certainly good enough precedents for us to follow 
here, in establishing a Columbus day holiday. 

Just a few words as to the practical side of the question of estab- 
lishing another holiday. In this respect I do not agree with the 
opponents of the holiday. Wliat we need is more holidays, not less 
holidays. Every man who works and earns his living by the sweat of 
his brow is a better man and a better workman for an occasional 
holiday. It also gives him more chance to be with his wife and 
children; and everything that tends to increase the happiness of 
family life makes for the betterment of the citizen. 

Aside from such considerations as this, there is the patriotic senti- 
ment, to which every American breast must respond at the mention 
of the name of Christopher Columl)us. What soul so dead as not to 



8 COLUMBUS DAY. 

feel a tlirill of emotion in tlie contemplation of his great achievement ? 
This hardy and intrepid navigatoi- risked his all in that world-famous 
voyage. Fortune, reputation, friendsliip, and life itself, hung in the 
balance. Under the weight of adverse circumstance, Columbus 
stood "four-square to all the winds that blew." With dissension, 
illness, and misery spreading through the wretched little ships in 
which he rode the waves, with doubt and scepticism threatening his 
command, he I'ose triumphant over every obstacle. He rose trium- 
phant so that a mighty continent might be dehvered out of the dark- 
ness of barbarism and into the light of Christianity and civihzation. 
He gave to future generations an enduring example of fortitude under 
adversity, of manhood in the hour of trial. To him we owe it that 
this great, fair continent of ours has been opened up to furnish a 
refuge for the mihappy and oppressed of all other nations, and a home 
for the happiest and most enlightened Government this world has 
ever known. Deprived by history of the honor of giving liis name to 
the continent he discovered, it now remains for a later generation to 
do honor to his memory and to their sentiments of patriotism by 
giving to the nation a hohday upon the date of his discovery of 
America. 

Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the Judiciary Committee, I urge 
upon you the adoption of the Columbus day bill. 

Mr. Moon. I suppose there is no choice between these respective 
bills ? 

Mr. Harrison. None in the slightest. 

Mr. SuLZER. Mr. Chairman, I introduce to the committee a well- 
known citizen of New York City, Mr. Vito Contessa. 

STATEMENT OF MR. VITO CONTESSA. 

Mr. Contessa. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, as 
president of the Italian Benevolent Society of the Sons of Columbus 
Legion, I rise to request your honorable committee to report favorably 
the Columbus day bill, introduced by our Congressman, making the 
12th day of October a public holiday. I concur in all Mr. Sulzer has 
said. My association represents hundreds of reputable Americans 
and Italians in New York City. In their behalf I have the honor to 
present to you a resolution in favor of making this new holiday. I 
would call your attention to the fact that this society has com- 
memorated the anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus 
by a popular charity festival and parade on each r2th day of October 
of every year for the past twelve years. More than 10,000 people 
participated at each celebration, and that day has brought forth each 
year hundreds more who celebrate with us. The leading men and 
officials of our city have taken part, including Congressman Sulzer. 
I hope Congress will honor the memory of Columbus. 

Mr. Sulzer. Mr. Chairman, I introduce to the committee Hon. 
Frank L. Frugone, the editor of an Italian newspaper of New ^'ork 
City. 

Mr. Frugone. Mr. Chairman and members of the honorable Judi-^ 
ciary Committee, we are all here as American citizens to perform the 
duty which we owe. We are American citizens of foreign birth; we 
were born in Italy. Therefore it is our duty to do our best to recom- 
mend to this honorable committee the approval either of this bill pre- 



COLUMBUS DAY. 9 

sented by your esteemed Congressman, Mr. Sulzer, or of that presented 
by Mr. Harrison, or other bills for the same object. We think it is a 
duty to honor the great man who risked his life, his fortune, and his 
future in order to attain the object to which he was inspired by an 
above Being, which we do not see, but which we feel. Christopher 
Columbus gave this wonderful gift to the Old AVorld. According to 
histor}^, at least as we have been taught, through his dangerous voy- 
age he discovered this immense tract of land, which was at first use- 
less to the Old World, but after his first trip and his second trip and 
other most dangerous trips, it developed into one of the grandest lands 
in the world, and this will give a chance to all these people living in 
this country, 80,000,000, to do honor to this great man. 

Beginning with the father of this countr}^, Washington, and down 
through all the other great men who have given their lives and good 
thoughts to bring this country to the highest place, Lincoln and 
others, even to-day, at this moment, millions of people, thousands of 
miles away from here, are honoring the gi'eat American, Theodore 
Roosevelt, the man who, although not yet so high as Washington or 
Lincoln, is going up. To honor his great country he is receiving 
to-day immense honors from every nationality — from those nationali- 
ties who send to this country their immigrants, their people, who after 
years helped to bring this country up to the high place that it holds 
to-day. I, a humble representative of an Italian newspaper, which 
has been working right along since the first day it was published to 
make American citizens of all our Italians, who had the honor of 
running for Congress twice in the strongest anrl largest ''Italian dis- 
trict," as it is called by the citizens of New York — the Eighth Con- 
gressional District — appeal to your honorable committee to think 
favorably of this provision, and to try to pass it so that Congress may 
judge of our proposal. Hoping that you will all understand our 
sacrifice which we make of our work, to leave our homes and business 
to come here to the capital of the country to try to impress upon your 
minds the great need of honoring a man who has given a chance to 
everybody in this country, I think you will be kind enough to accept 
favorably our proposition. 

Mr. SuLZER. Mr. Chairman, I take pleasure in introducing Hon. 
Antonio Zucca, former president of the Italian Chamber of Com- 
merce, of New York City. 

STATEMENT OF MR. ANTONIO ZUCCA. 

Mr. Zucca. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I 
shall be very brief. I do not come before you as a foreigner. I have 
been forty years in this country, and I love this country, and I think 
it my duty to do what I can for the interests and the welfare of this 
country. I belong to many, many organizations. I am president of 
some, treasurer of others, but I find all of these organizations are 
united in saying that Congress ought to do justice to this man who 
discovered this New World. When you consider Christopher Colum- 
bus, and the difficulties that he had to contend with, getting the 
caravels and coming to discover this New World, and then that they 
put him in prison, and that he had not even the chance to give the 
name to the place that he discovered, we of future centuries ought 
certainly to make this wrong right. This country, the New World, 



10 COLUMBUS DAY. 

has given a chance to the overgrown population of Europe to come 
here to better their condition, to people the wilds, and the subjects 
of the tyrannical and monarchical governments of Europe come here 
and see here we are free. They better their conditions, and many 
you find now are millionaires. That is all due to Columbus. Prob- 
ably somebody later on would have discovered this country, but 
even now these immigrants that come to this country, many every 
week, they do not bring any money, but they bring strong arms to 
build up this great country, to build railroads, to build the subways, 
to build bridges, and so forth. Well, they stay as Italians or Germans 
or Swedes for a little while, and then they take their naturalization 
papers, and they take more interest in this country; and their children 
take advantage of the excellent education they get, and become good 
citizens, and the children of those children form these American 
citizens. 

I hope, gentlemen of the committee, that you will favorably report 
to the Congress, and shortl}^ we will celebrate Columbus day, the 12th 
of October, as a national holiday. 

Mr. SuLZER. Mr. Chairman, I now take pleasure in presenting to 
the committee Mr. Michael A. Rofrano, a well-known business man in 
New York City. 

STATEMENT OF MR. MICHAEL A. ROFRANO. 

Mr. RoFRAXO. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the Judiciary Com- 
mittee, I appear here as a representative of the Young Men's Civic 
Club, an organization of young men representing several nationalities, 
with headquarters in the city of New York; and also pursuant to a 
resolution adopted at a recent meeting of the Association of Italian- 
American lawyers, of which I am also a member, authorizing me to 
present to you this resolution and to urge upon you their desire that 
you report without any further delay from your committee to the 
House of Representatives, the bill which you now have under con- 
sideration, making October 12 of each and every year a national 
holiday and to be known as "Columbus day." 

You have heard the history of Columbus and his thscoverv of 
America so often and so eloquently by the orators which just pre- 
ceded me that I do not intend to take up any of the valuable time of 
this committee with a discussion of the life of Columbus or the (Hs- 
covery of America. 

I note from some of the remarks made by the speakers who pre- 
ceded me that the principal objection to the enacting of this bill into 
law seems to lie in the fact that it would tend to create an additional 
holiday, which would be prejudicial to the better interests of the 
laboring class of people. I wish to say a few words in connection 
with that matter, believing as I do, to be competent to talk uj)on the 
question of whether the laboring classes need another holiday or 
not. Up to a very few years ago I was actively engaged as a general 
contractor, and in that capacity employed large bodies of men from 
time to time. Among these men were the ordinary laborers and 
mechanics of all kinds, such tradesmen as are required in the con- 
struction of buildings, bridges, and railroads. I had considerable to 
do with the electrification of some of the okl horse-car lines in the 
city of Brooklyn, and (hiring this period we had in our employ over 



COLUMBUS DAY. 11 

3,000 men. Just about that time the as^itation tor makmg Cohimbus 
Day a legal holiday was begun, and I took a poll of these men one 
da}^, and I found, to my amazement, that all favored another holiday. 
The bill that we ask you to report favorably, as I understand it, will 
only affect the District of Columbia and the Territories; if I am 
properly informed, there is now on the national statute books prac- 
tically only one national holiday. 

Mr. Carlin. Let me ask you a (juestion. Would not this bill, by 
closing the national banks everywhere, practically affect every 
locality in every State in the Union ? The declaration of a national 
holiday in our law would close the national banks in every county in 
the United States, and to that extent it would not only affect the 
District of Columbia, but all the States. 

Mr. SuLZER. Just a word as to that. My bill would only afl'ect the 
District of Columbia and the Territories. 

Mr. Carlin. This bill does not provide that. 

Mr. SuLZER. Yes; my bill does provide that. 

Mr. Carlin. I do not know about your bill, but 

Mr. SuLZER. If vou will read mv bill vou will see mv bill ])rovides 
that. 

Mr. Carlin. This ])rovides that the I'ith of October shall be a 
legal public holiday, a national holiday, and that would mean the 
closing of all public buildings and all national banks. 

Mr. SuLZER. You will find that my bill provides that the 12th day 
of October shall be made a ''legal public holiday," in the same 
manner as the first Monday of September in each year is now made 
by law a public and legal holiday and called "Labor Day." 

Mr. Carlin. The first Monday in September is Labor Day. They 
close national banks in every State in the Union on Labor Day. 

Mr. SuLZER. Only in the District of Columbia and the Territories 
and in those States where it has been made a legal holiday by the 
state legislature. 

Mr. Carlin. I am not certain about that. 

Mr. SuLZER. Well, I am. 

Mr. Carlin. j\Iy impression is that when a national holiday is 
declared all national institutions, including the custom-houses and the 
national banks everywhere, suspend business, and we do have a gen- 
eral holiday to that extent, because you can not conduct business, 
especially in large cities, without the operation of banks. 

Mr. SuLZER. I will say that Labor Day is now a national holiday 
by reason of the States as well as the Federal Government making it 
so. It was made a public holiday within the jurisdiction of the LTnited 
States by Congress; that is all; and this bill of mine is intended to 
do the same thing about Columbus day. 

Mr. Carlin. I know, but I am inclined to think you are mistaken. 
I think you will find that on Labor Day, since it has been declared a 
national holiday, every national bank in the United States is closed. 

Mr. Harrison. Even if the position taken by the gentleman from 
Virginia is correct, which is probable, the trend of the legislation 
in all the States is in this direction. I think it would be an e:^icellent 
thing if they did close the national banks. 

Mr. Carlin. I do not say I am opposed to making this a national 
holiday. In fact, I am rather inclined to favor it. But I say that 



12 COLUMBUS DAY. 

the idea that this bill only afl'ects the Territories and the District of 
Columbia is a mistaken idea. 

Mr. SuLZER. 1 think yon are in error about that so far as my 
bill is concerned. Congress has no power to legislate in the matter 
beyond the District of Columbia and the Territories. That is all I 
am contending for now. 

Mr. KoFRANO. I think, Mr. Congressman, that in so far as my 
remarks are concerned, in so far as it afl'ects the laboring man, the 
District of Columbia and the Territories is about all it will afl'ect; 
that it will make it a holiday only in those places. 

Mr. Carlix. How can that be, if it is true that the closing of the 
banks and custom-houses is all over the United States ? 

Mr. Rofrano. The entire business of the cities, I do not suppose, 
is dependent upon that. I do not suppose the interior cities have 
custom-houses. And, anyway, that does not affect the laboring man. 
He gets his pay in cash from his employers, who piovide for such an 
emergenc}^ in advance. 

Mr. Carlin. It affects the merchant by closing the doors of the 
banks, and we do in effect on Labor Day have a national holiday 
everywhere, and we declare it to be such. 

Mr. Rofrano. Of course that is a cjuestion for the Congressmen 
who have introduced the bills. I do not know the merits of this bill, 
and I have not had the opportunity to go into it, except that I have 
understood in a general way that it creates an additional holiday, 
and I was going to add that there being only one national holiday 
now, another one certainly would not be superfluous. Aside from 
this fact, as Congressman Harrison has very truly said, the trend of 
legislation in all the States is in that direction, and if that be a fact 
it might be a very good thing if it did come about. I woidd like to 
impress upon this committee that the demand for tnis bill is b}^ 
no means a local one, and evitlence of this is the fact that there are 
at present 15 States which have this law upon their statute books, 
making the 12th of October a legal holiday; and also that this bill 
is favored by men of all nationahties and not confined to the Italians 
alone, as some people would like to have it appear. 

Mr. Carltn. I hope you do not understand me as being opposed 
to the bill, because, in fact, I am strongly inclined to think that it 
would be to the benefit of the youth of the whole country if there 
was impressed on them the importance of the discovery of the country 
by Christopher Columbus. 

Mr. Rofrano. It would give great strength to the movement 
throughout the United States that we advocate, if this bill w^ere 
passed. If this w^as once enacted by Congress, we would have no 
difficulty in pushing on our propaganda. I believe, and I am sure all 
those present believe, that it is certainly a very just and deserving 
cause. The discovery of America is an event in history that, in my 
opinion, should never be forgotten. They have endeavored in a 
very faint way to commemorate the day by erecting monuments 
here and there, and celebrating the day in some localities, and it is 
proposed to erect a monument here in Washington, but a monument 
inspires the people only when they see it, whereas if one day of the 
year is laid aside for the celebration of this great event, it will tend to 
indelibly impress on the minds of the citizens the memory of the 



COLUMBUS DAY. 13 

great achievement, and the great possibihties tliat we, in this country, 
have to look forward to. 

However, coming back to my subject of the hiboring classes, I have 
found even in the State of New York, where it is supposed we have 
more legal holidays than in the majority of the other States — and we 
have less than one for each month — that they were all in favor of it. 
In 1908 a bill was passed, for the fourth or fifth time, I believe, by 
both the senate and the assembly of the State of New York, which 
met the same fate at the hands of the governor as the preceding bills 
had met, but we had the good fortune this time to have the governor 
append a memorandum to his veto stating his reasons, so that the 
following year, 1909, we were prepared to meet the governor with a 
new bill remedying the defects tliat he had pointed out in the mem- 
orandum attached to his veto. 

Mr. Moon. What w^as that memoranchim ^ 

Mr. RoFRANO. I w^U get it and file it with the committee. Gov- 
ernor Higgins stated tliat if tJiat bill were enacted into law it would 
close all the banks and public ofiices and therefore it would work a 
great hardship on the business community of the State. 

We then redrafted the bill to meet the requirements as set forth by 
Governor Higgins when he ^'etoed the l)ill the preceding year, and his 
objection that it would close all the banks remedied to suit the trades- 
men that were opposed to it, and introtluced it the following year. 
This bill was passed by both liouses and vetoed by Governor Hughes, 
with the following memorandum attached. I hand you this copy of 
his memorandum. (See memorandum.) 

Mr. Carlin. In other words, after declaring it a state holiday, that 
would close the state banks by statute ? 

Mr. RoFRANO. Yes. 

Mr. Carlin. And it is my idea that declaring it a national holiday 
would close all the national institutions of the nation. 

Mr. RoFRANO. Assuming that to be so, if all the institutions in the 
State of New York were closed, I think the national banks certainly 
would close voluntarily, themselves, unless they should be com- 
pelled to keep open. I was just coming to that. The following year 
a bill was drafted to meet the requirements in Governor Hughes's 
veto and finally passed by both houses and signed by Governor 
Hughes, and last 12tli of October all this supposed opposition that 
there was to the holiday seemed to have disappeared. Everybody 
rejoiced in it. We had one of the grandest displays and holidays that 
ever was celebrated, and all the opposition disappeared and the 
national banks closed voluntarily. After a careful examination of 
an}' and all of the objections ever offered in opposition to this bill 
in the legislatures of the various States wherein it has been presented, 
and so far as I could ascertain, I find that the gist of them all seems 
to be the same and appears to be inspired by the ardent desire to 
protect the poor laboring man. There is no other reasonable argu- 
ment that I know of that can be offered in opposition to this bill. 
While the opponents (if there be any) of this bill have only one 
argument against it, the frienils of the bill have countless numbers of 
arguments in its favor. 

Aside from the fact that the event which it is intended to com- 
memorate is of such great weight and importance, the time of the 



14 COLUMBUS DAY. 

year in which it occurs is the ideal season of the year for hoHdays. 
It comes at a time midway between the vacation season and yuletide, 
when a holiday is welcome to all classes and permits of indulging 
in reminiscences. C-ohimbiis day should be to the world at large what 
the Fourth of July is to the United States — the feat and hardihood 
of this great mariner should never be forgotten. Humanity owes 
it to him, and the whole world is indebted to him, and it remains to 
us of America to set the example that the rest of the world might 
follow. 

That this bill is meritorious can not be gainsaid. 

Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of this committee, we have appeared 
before the Congressional Judiciary Committee from time to time 
and properly presented our case. We have as yet met with no 
opposition before this committee. In view of this and to use the 
legal term "we demand judgment by default" we have properly 
served our summons by publication to the nation; b}' introducing 
this bill so often we have appeared here to prove our case, and, as I 
believe, have made out a prima facie case. The defendants have 
neither put in a notice of appearance, nor an answer — we are entitled 
to our default and we ask you (being the judicial body that you are, 
sitting in judgment) to render verdict in our favor by reporting this 
bill favorably out of your committee so that we ma}' have our day 
in Congress, and thereby ascertain through the representatives of 
the people wdiether the nation approves of this biU or not. 

Mr. SuLZER. Mr. Chairman, I present as the next speaker Mr. 
John Jachetti, of the State of Pennsylvaina. 

STATEMENT OF MR. JOHN JACHETTI, OF GILBERTON, PA., SEC- 
RETARY OF THE NATIONAL COLUMBUS ASSOCIATION. 

Mr. Jachetti. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I have the honor 
of representing the largest district of anyone here present. I am 
representing the anthracite coal district of Pennsylvania, where 
there are over 50,000 Italians, most of whom are of the younger gen- 
eration, meaning thereby that they are young people who have 
grown up here, who have been born and raised in America. We have 
bound ourselves into an association known, first, as the Eight- 
County Columbus Association, who initiated the movement in 1909. 
At that time I had the pleasure and honor of being its president, and 
we had the satisfaction in. the short period of ninety-five days of 
having a bill passed twice through the senate of Pennsylvania and 
passed through the assembly and approved b}^ his honor, the gov- 
ernor, on April 29, 1909, making October 12, Columbus day, a legal 
holiday for the State of Pennsylvania. There is no use in my going 
into the merits of the different subjects. The matter has been fully 
discussed. 

In reference to the objection in regard to closing the banks, at tlie 
time the governor approved the bill a member of the national associ- 
ation, Mr. Ira Barnes, called my attention to tlie fact that the bill did 
not forbid the closing of the banks. I told the gentleman that we did 
not care to have a clause of that kind insertetl, fearing that the bill 
might be delayed. He said "Mr. Jachetti, 1 have attended all the 
meetings of the National Bankers" Association for years, and I have 
never yet heard a word against such a holiday." 



COLUMBUS DAY. 15 

Our association covers eight of the leading counties in Pennsylvania. 
We have a membership of 3,000 at the present time, and tiie charter 
of incorporation is pending before the courts now. His honor, 
Governor Stuart, on October 8, 1909, upon his receiving me as ofRcial 
representative of the association, said : 

As a matter of fact there are two sides to every question, and the opponents of addi- 
tional holidays were many, but if the celebration of Columbus day shall be the means 
of bringing Italians together on a common cause and while sho\\'ing a laudable attach- 
ment to the mother country, will be the means of making better citizens of them, I 
shall be simply repaid for my part in making Columbus day a legal holiday. 

During the time when the bill was going through the legislature in 
the State of Pennsylvania, as I have already stated, I was in charge 
of the movement. On the day that it came to final passage there 
was only one opponent, the honorable Mr. Scott, of Pennsylvania. 
He acknowledged the discovery of America by Columbus ; he acknowl- 
edged that this has become the greatest country in the world; he 
acknowledged that the great capital of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, 
would not be there except for Columbus; he acknowledged that if it- 
had not been for Columbus, Washmgton would not have had to free 
the country; he acknowledged that if Columbus had not discovered 
America he would not have been there to make such a great speech; 
but he simply said that he wanted that day because he wanted to 
work. Now, I think the matter of fact is that if Congress adopts a 
law, which we strongly urge, if a man wants to work we can not 
compel him to stop. We are willing to celebrate the day, and last 
year we had fully 2,000 men in line on a free special train brought 
from the coal regions. I do not advocate making this a holiday from 
an Italian point of view. The association is composed of members 
of Italian extraction. We are in favor of Columbus day, not because 
Columbus was an Italian, as were our forefathers, but simply because, 
by depriving him of his honor, an injustice would be done. 

Most of you gentlemen have seen the cartoon published by the 
Philadelphia Record on October 19, 1909. Therein you see the picture 
of Uncle Sam and Columbus stepping ashore and Uncle Sam extend- 
ing his hand, and he says, "It took me four hundred and sixteen 
years to" find you out." Now, it seems to me a favorable time for 
the people to take this position, and I ask that this Committee on the 
Judiciary will kindly report favorably on this bill. I present the 
resolution of the National Columbus Association, and also here is a 
report of the annual convention of the Eight-County Columbus As- 
sociation, and with the famous cartoon of the great American trium- 
virate — Washington, Columbus, and Lincoln^ — and we ask the most 
favorable consideration of this bill to make Columbus day a national 
holiday. 

The Chairman. Mr. Keliher, of Massachusetts, is here, and we will 
be very glad to hear from him. 

STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN A. KELIHER, A REPRESENTATIVE 
IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 

Mr. Keliher. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, 
I am going to talk briefly, for mucli that I have to say will be but 
feeble repetition of what has been so earnestly and impressively 
said by those gentlemen who have preceded me. I am here to 



I 



16 COLUMBUS DAY. 

add the voice of the Bay State to the great appeal for tliis recogni- 
tion of Cohuiibus's achievement. There is in Massachusetts a strong 
and constantly increasing sentiment in favor of making October 12 
a state holiday. Our legislature has now before it a favorable 
report from a legislative committee, wliich has been ratified by 
one branch and will, I confidently expect, receive similar action from 
the other. The agitation in behalf of this holiday is so formidable 
that it will within a short time have crystallized into law and Colum- 
bus day be a legal holiday in Massachusetts. And why shouldn't 
it be? Certainly no more momentous historical event is chronicled 
in the annals of the world's history than tlie great discovery of that 
heaven-inspired voyager from SpaiiTvZ_Iiii_g;reater historical_figure 
has existed in all time than that blde-eyed son of a Gfenoese wool 
ycomber. Chnstopl ier ColumbuS; whose intrepid voyage opened to 
civilization this great Western Continent., purely such an event 
is worthy of recognition by this Republic t^ the extent of legally 
setting aside a da}' to the commemoration of Columbus's great 
discovery. 

The plea that we should not increase our federal legal holidays can 
not be offered with much effect against the creation of Columbus day 
as a national holiday, for the States themselves are one by one mak- 
ing the day a legal holiday, and the business of the national banks 
practically ceases in those localities where a holiday is observed. 
Mr. Chairman, the appeal for the creation of this public holiday is 
not confinetl to the fellow-countrymen of Columbus. It embraces 
that great element in our land that insists that our debt to Columbus 
has not been fittingly acknowledged ; who believe that partial justice, at 
least, will be done his memory by legally devoting one day upon which 
the District of Columbia and the Territories may celebrate his great 
achievement. In recognition of this widespread appeal, I join with 
these gentlemen to-day in expressing the hope that this honorable 
committee will favorably report this bill and that Congress will 
speedily enact it into law. 

Mr. SuLZER. Mr. Chairman, personally and on behalf of the gen- 
tlemen present — many of whom have come from a distance to address 
the committee — I wish to express the thanks of all for the consider- 
ation the committee has given this matter and to say we indulge 
the hope that the committee, at the earliest opportunity, will report 
the bill and give the House of Representatives an opportunity to 
pass upon it. As I said when I began my remarks, all we want is 
our da}'' in court, to have a vote on the proposition, and it seems 
to me unfair, in view of the favorable sentiment for this legislation 
all over the country, to keep this bill in the committee and not give 
the Members of Congress an opportunity to vote for it or against it. 

Mr. Moon. We are very much impressed with the presentation of 
the matter before the committee, and we have listened with a great 
deal of interest to the words that have been spoken and to what has 
been said as to the history of legislation in other States, and we will 
give it very careful consideration. 

(Adjourned.) 



COLUMBUS DAY. 17 

WTiereas there has been introduced in the House of Representatives of the United 
States of America, by the Hon. William Sulzer, Representative from the Tenth Con- 
gressional District of New York, a bill to make October 12 in each year a public holiday, 
to be called Columbus day, and 

Whereas it is fitting that the momentous day on which Christopher Columbus first 
set foot on the soil of th« New World of America shall be marked and commemorated 
by a public holiday: Therefore be it ; . 

Resolved, That we, the members of the Patrie Battaglie, in meeting assembled, 
heartily indorse the bill introduced by Representative Sulzer, and express to him 
our appreciation of his recognition of the honor due by America and all mankind to 
the memory of that great and fearless Italian navigator, Christopher Columbus. And 
be it further 

Resolved, That these resolutions be. spread upon the minutes of our association and 
that copies of them be sent to the Hon. William Sulzer and to the press of this city. 
1 SociETA Italiana Reduci Patrie Battaglie, Baltimore, Md., 
Bartolo Miceli, II Presidente. ' ■ 

Frank Dejute, II Segretario. 



ITALIAN benevolent SOCIETY OP THE SONS OF COLUMBUS LEGION, NEW YORK. , 

WTiereas there has been introduced in the House of Representatives of the United 
States of America, by the Hon. William Sulzer, Representative from the Tenth Con- 
gressional District of New York, a bill to make October 12 in each year a public holiday, 
to be called Columbus day, and 

WTiereas it is fitting that the momentous day on which Christopher Columbus first 
set foot on the soil of the New World of America shall be marked and commemorated 
by a public holiday, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That we, the members of the Italian Benevolent Society of the Sons of 
Columbus Legion in meeting assembled, heartily indorse the bill introduced by 
Representative Sulzer, and express to him our appreciation of his recognition of the 
honor due by America and all mankind to the memory of that great and fearless 
Italian navigator, Christopher Columbus. And be it further 

Resolved, That these resolutions/ be spread upon the minutes of our association and 
that copies of them be sent to the Hon. William Sulzer and to the press of this city. 

ViTO Cantessa. 
Francesco Sisco. 



Whereas there has been introduced in the House of Representatives of the United 
States of America, by the Hon. William Sulzer, Representative from the Tenth Con- 
gressional District of New York, a bill to make October 12 in each year a public holiday, 
to be called Columbus day, and 

Whereas it is fitting that the momentous day on which Christopher Columbus first 
set foot on the soil of the New World of America shall be marked and commemorated 
by a public holiday: Therefore be it 

Resolved, That we, the members of the Columbus Day Association, in meeting 
assembled, heartily indorse the bill introduced by Representative Sulzer, and express 
to him our appreciation of the honor due by America and all mankind to the memory 
of that great and fearless Italian navigator, Christopher Columbus. 

And be it further resolved. That these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of our 
association, and that copies of them be sent to the Hon. William Sulzer, to all the 
Italian societies of Baltimore city, and to the press. 

Columbus Day Association. Baltimore. Md., 
Chas. Simonini, President, 
S. Verdi, Segret. 



Whereas there has been introduced in the House of Representatives of the United 
States of America, by the Hon. William Sulzer, Representative from the Tenth Con- 
gressional District of New York, a bill to make October 12 in each year a public holiday, 
to be called Columbus day, and 

Whereas it is fitting that the momentous day on which Christopher Columbus first 
set foot on the soil of the New World of America shall be marked and commemoratf d 
by a public holiday : Therefore be it 

40900—10 2 



18 COLUMBUS DAY. 

Resolved, That wo, the members of the Unione Cefaludese, in meeting assembled, 
heartily indorse the bill introduced by Repref'entative Sulzer and express to him our 
appreciation of his recognition of the honor due by America and all mankind to the 
memory of that great and fearless Italian navigator, Christopher Columbus. 

And he it further resolved, That these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of our 
association, and that copies of them be sent to the Hon. William Sulzer and to the 
pjess of this city. 

U. M. S. Cefaludese, 
V.Joseph Bananco, President. 
GiovAN Maria Lauza, Secretary. 



Whereas there has been introduced in the House of Representatives of the United 
States of America by the Hon. William Sulzer, Representative from the Tenth 
Congressional District of New York, a bill to make October 12 in each year a public 
holiday, to be called Columbus day; and 

Whereas it is fitting that the momentous day on which Christopher Columbus first 
set foot on the soil of the New World of America shall be marked and commemorated 
by a public holiday: Therefore, be it 

Resolved, That we, the members of the Umberto Primo, in meeting assembled, 
heartily indorse the bill introduced by Representative Sulzer, and express to him our 
appreciation of his recognition of the honor due by America and all mankind to the 
memory of that great and fearless Italian navigator, Christopher Columbus; and be it 
further 

Resolved, That these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of our association and 
that copies of them be sent to the Hon. William Sulzer and to the press of this city. 
Patriottica Associazione Italiana, Baltimore, Md., 

Primo Reggimento Umberto 1°, Genio Roma. 
G. ViRAiNY, President. 
F. Garofolo, Secretary. 



\\Tiereas there has been presented in the House of Representatives of the Congress 
of the United States by the Hon. William Sulzer, a Member thereof, a bill providing 
that the 12th day of October in each and every year, being the anniversary day of 
the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, be made a legal public holiday, 
to be called Columbus day, to all intents and purposes in the same manner as the 
first Monday in September in each j^ear is now made by law a public and legal holiday; 
and 

Whereas it is proper and fitting that October 12 of each year be made a public legal 
holiday, designated as Columbus day, in recognition of the great services rendered 
to the world by the stalwart Genoese mariner who discovered America, and that the 
peojile of this country at large should on that day in some suitable manner commemo- 
rate that great event in the world's history: Be it, therefore. 

Resolved, That the Italian-American Union of Greater New York, in regular session 
assembled, does pledge itself to support said proposed legislation and to urge its enact- 
ment; and be it further 

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be spread in full upon the minutes and 
a copy thereof remitted to the author of said bill, the committee in charge of such bill 
in Congress, and to the press. 

Italian-American Union of the City of New York. 
Antonio Zucca, President. 



societI abruzzo citra, oabriele rosetti di mutuo soccorso. 

Whereas there has been introduced in the House of Representatives of the United 
States of America by the Hon. ^^■illiam Sulzer, Representative from the Tenth Con- 
gressional District of New York, a bill to make October 12 in each year a public 
holiday, to be called Columbus day; and 

Whereas it is fitting that the momentous day on which Christopher Columbus 
first set foot on the soil of the New World of America shall be marked and commem- 
orated by a public holiday: Therefore be it 



COLUMBUS DAY. 19 

Resolved, That we, the members of this association, in meeting assembled, heartily 
indorse the bill introduced by Representative Sulzer, and express to him our appre- 
ciation of his recognition of the honor due by America and all mankind to the memory 
of that great and fearless Italian navigator, Christopher Columbus; and be it 
further 

Resolved, That these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of our association, 
and that copies of them be sent to the Hon. William Sulzer and to the press of this 
city. 

SociETA Abruzzo Citra, Gabriele Rosetti, 
GuisEPPE CiANCiosi, II Presidentc, 
T. d'Aloisio, II Segretario. 



SOCIETA REDUCI PATRIE BATTAGLIE E MILITARI IN CONGEDO IN NEW YORK. 

\Miereas there has been introduced in the House of Representatives of the United 
States of America by the Hon. William Sulzer, Representative from the Tenth 
Congressional District of New York, a hill to make October 12 in each year a public 
holiday, to be called Columbus day; and 

Whereas it is fitting that the momentous day on which Christopher Columbus first 
set foot on the soil of the New World of America shall be marked and commemorated 
by a public holiday: Therefore be it 

Resolved, That we, the members of this association, in meeting assembled, heartily 
indor.-e the bill introduced by Representative Sulzer, and express to him our appre- 
ciation of his recognition of the honor due by America and all mankind to the memory 
of that great and fearless Italian navigator, Christopher Columbus ; atid be it further 

Resolved, That these resolutions be spread upcm the minutes of our association, 
and that copies of them be sent to the Hon. William Sulzer and to the press of this 
city. 

Reduci Patrie Battaglie e Militari in Congedo, 
G. Ciamios, II Presidente, 
Peter Ingrassia, Secretary. 



Congrega del Monte Carmelo, 
447 East One hundred and fiftieth street, New York. 

Whereas there has been introduced in the House of Representatives of the United 
States of America, by the Hon. William Sulzer, Representative from the Tenth Con- 
gressional District of New York, a bill to make October 12 in each year a public holi- 
day, to be called Columbus day; and 

Whereas it is fitting that the momentous day on which Christopher Columbus first 
set foot on the soil of the New World of America shall be marked and commemorated 
by a public holiday: Therefore be it 

Resolved, That we, the members of the Mount Carmel Congregation Association, in 
meeting assembled, heartily indorse the bill introduced by Representative Sulzer, 
and express to him our appreciation of his recognition of the honor due by America 
and all mankind to the memory of that great and fearless Italian navigator, Christopher 
Columbus; and be it further 

Resolved, That these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of our association, and 
that copies of them be sent to the Hon. William Sulzer and to the press of this city. 

DoMENico Di Dario, President. 
ViCENzo Barbo, Segretario. 



resolutions adopted by the new YORK fruit exchange of the city of new 

YORK, at a meeting HELD ON APRIL 3, 1910. 

WTaereas it is eminently fitting that the fame of Christopher Columbus should receive 
national recognition, and that so great an event as the discovery of America should be 
celebrated by making the day a national holiday; therefore be it 

Resolved, That the New York Fruit Exchange heartily indorse the bill introduced 
by Representative William Sulzer, of New York, in the House of Representatives of 
the United States, providing that October 12 of each year be made a legal holiday, 
to be known as Columbus day, and that the president of this exchange be directed 
to visit Washington and appear before the committee having the bill under consider- 
ation and urge a favorable report thereon. 

Victor L. Zorn, President. 
» C. W. Maxfield, Secretary. 



20 COLUMBUS DAY. 

Italian-American Barbers' Political League, 

Nev) Yorl, April 2, 1910. 

^\^lereas there has been iutroduced in the House of Representatives of the United 
States of America, by the Hon. William Sulzer, Representative from the Tenth Con- 
gressional District of New York, a bill to make October 12 in each year a public holiday, 
to be called Columbus day; and 

\Miereas it is fitting that the momentous day on which Christopher Columbus first 
set foot on the soil of the new world of America shall be marked and commemorated 
by a public holiday: Therefore be it 

Resolved, That we, the members of the Italian-American Barbers' Political League 
Association, in meeting assembled, heartily indorse the bill introduced by Represent- 
ative Sulzer, and express to him our appreciation of his recognition of the honor due 
by America and all mankind to the memory of that great and fearless Italian navigator, 
Christopher Columbus; and be it further 

Resolved, That these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of our association and 
that copies of them be sent to the Hon. William Sulzer and to the press of this city. 

F. P. Cambrico, President. 
F. N. Francia, Secretary. 

New York, April 29, 1910. 
Hon. W^iLLiAM Sulzer, 

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. 

My Dear Congressman: I am returning to you herein the proceedings on your 
Columbus-day bill, revised by the gentlemen who spoke at the hearing, as per your 
request, together with the resolutions adopted by the Association of Italian-American 
Lawyers and a copy of the veto memorandum of Governor Hughes, which is referred to 
in the proceedings. 

I would have returned these papers to you sooner, but as I did not receive them until 
Wednesday afternoon, and Mr. Freschi was out of town, I was unable to see him until 
Thursday afternoon, when he told me he had received a communication from you. 

He particularly requested me to remind you that it is very essential for us to know 
if the resolutions from the different societies throughout the United States, which Mr. 
Freschi left with the clerk of the committee, have been found and will be printed in 
the records. I trust you will make every effort to find them; otherwise, we shall have 
a very hard time trying to explain to the members of the differenc societies that went 
to the trouble of calling special meetings to adopt these resolutions the omission of the 
said resolutions from the records. 

Trusting you will accept my explanation for the delay in returning these papers to 
you at once, and with ])est wishes, I am, 

Sincerely, yours, M. A. Rofrano. 



association of ITALIAN-AMERICAN LAWYERS, NEW YORK CITY. 

Whereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of Repre- 
sentatives of the Congress of the United States of America, various Columbus-day 
bills, to make October 12 of each year a public and legal holiday. 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the members of this society that the said Judiciary 
Committee of the House of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report to 
the said House a bill for the establishment of a public holiday to be known as Columbus 
day. 

Further resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of the 
aforesaid committee and the press in general. 

[seal.] Gerard J. Cuoco, President. 

Vincent H. Auleta, Secretary. 



State op New York, Executive Chamber, 

Albany, May 21, 190S. 
Memorandum filed with assembly bill No. 161, entitled "An act designating the 
12th day of October of each year as a public holiday to be known as Columbus day." 
Not approved. 

This bill professes to create a new public holiday, but in fact it will only create con- 
fusion and business embarrassment. While the bill savs that the 12th dav of October 



COLUMBUS DAY. 21 

shall be classed as a legal holiday, it goes on to provide that the act shall not be con- 
strued "to affect financial institutions" (whatever that may mean) or "the taking or 
execution of agreement or instruments in writing, or interfere with judicial proceed- 
ings. In short it is not made a real holiday, and what exactly it may be is not clearly 
defined. The vague provision unsettles the .status of the day and would give rise to 
business uncertainties for which there should be no room in a commercial community. 
If it was intended to add Columbus day to the number of public holidays, the general 
law relating to holidays should have been amended accordingly. 

Charles E. Hughes. 



New York, April 22, 1910. 
Hon. William Sulzer, 

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. 
My Deap. Congressman: I am herewith inclosing additional resolutions urging 
the Judiciary Committee to favorably report on your Columbus-day bill. 

Will you be so kind as to hand the same to the reporter who took the notes at the 
hearing on Tuesday afternoon last? 

With best wishes, I am, very sincerely, yours, 

John J. Freschi. 



Italian Benevolent Society, 

Norfolk, Va., April 19, 1910. 
Whereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of 
Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America various Columbus- 
day bills to make October 12 of each year a public and legal holiday; 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the members of this society that the said Judiciary 
Committee of the House of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report 
to the said House a bill for the establishment of a public holiday to be known as 
Columbus day; 

Further resolved. That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of the 
aforesaid committee and the press in general. 

J. Struntolo, President. 
A. Demma, Secretary. 



Societa' di Mutuo Soccorso Ufficiali Bersaglieri. 

William sport , Pa . 
WTiereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of 
Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America various Columbus- 
day bills to make October 12 of each year a public and legal holiday; 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the members of the society that the said Judiciary 
Committee of the House of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report 
to the said House a bill for the establishment of a public holiday to be known as 
Columbus day ; 

Further resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of 
4;he aforesaid committee and the press in general. 

A. Vannucci, Presidente. 
[seal.] G. Bianchini, Secretary. 



Italian Rifle Association of New York, 

New York, April 17, 1910. 
To the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives, Washington, D. C: 

Whereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of 
Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America various Columbus- 
day bills to make October 12 of each year a public and legal holiday. 

Resolved. That it is the sense of the members of this society that the said Judiciary 
Committee of the House of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report 
to the said House a bill for the establishment of a pul)lic holiday, to be known as 
Columbus day. 

Further resolved. That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of the 
aforesaid committee and the.pres.=i in general. 

Ettore Minervini, President. 
Frank W. Chillemi, Secretary. 



22 COLUMBUS DAY. 

ITALIAN BENEVOLENT SOCIETY. 

Whereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the H(juse of Rep- 
resentatives of the Congress of the United States of America several bills to make 
October 12 of each year a legal holiday, to be known as "Columbus day;'' and 

Whereas a public hearing will be held on said bills by said committee on Tuesday, 
April 19, 1910, at the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia; and 

WTiereas this association is heartily in favor of the enactment of such bills into law 
by Congress: B i it 

Resolved, That Chevelier Vito Contessa, the president of this association, be, and 
he hereby is, authorized to appear at said hearing and to express our sentiments in 
favor of said measures and to urge the said committee of the House of Representatives 
to favorably report a Columbus-day bill to make October 12 of each year a public 
holiday. 

The foregoing resolution is an extract of the minutes of the meeting of this associa- 
tion held on April 14, 1910, at the city of New York. 

[seal.] Fransesco Sisca, 

Secretary. 



remarks of CHEVALIER VITO CONTESSA, PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN BENEVOLENT 
SOCIETY OF THE SONS OF COLUMBUS LEGION, BEFORE THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, 
AT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, URGING FAVORABLE ACTION ON ALL BILLS NOW 
BEFORE SAID COMMITTEE TO MAKE OCTOBER 12 A LEGAL HOLIDAY TO BE KNOWN AS 
COLUMBUS DAY. 

Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the Judiciary Committee, as President of the 
Italian Benevolent Society of the Sons of Columbus Legion I am authorized to request 
your honorable committee to report favorably on the Columbus-day bills to make 
October 12 a public holiday. 

My associaiion represents hundreds of reputable Americans and Italians in New 
York City; in their behalf I have the honor to present to you a resolution in favor of 
making this new holiday. 

I would call your attention to the fact that this society has commemorated the 
anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus by a popular charity festival 
and parade on each 12{h day of October of every year for the past twelve years. 

More than 10,000 peo})le participated at each celebration, and that day has brought 
forth each year hundreds more who celebrate with us. The leadint, men and officials 
of our city have taken part, including Congressman Sulzer. 

I hope Congress will honor the memory of Columbus. 



OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY COLUMBUS DAY LEAGUE. 

WTtiereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of 

Representatives of Congress of the Uaited States of America various Columbus-day 
bills to make October 12 of each year a public and legal holiday; 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the members of this society that the said Judiciary 
Committee of the House of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report to 
the said House a bill for the establishment of a public holiday to be known as Columbus 
day. 

Further resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of the 
aforesaid committee and the press in general. 

John J. Kreschi, Secretary. 



SOCIETA ITALIANA DI MUTUO SOCCORSO CRISTOFORO COLOMBO IN PHOENIXVILLE, PA. 

Phoenixville, Pa., April 14, 1910. 

WTiereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of 
Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America various Columbus- 
day bills to make October 12 of each year a public and legal holiday: 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the members of this society that the said Judiciary 
Committee of the House of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report 
to the said House a bill for the establishment of a public holiday, to be known as 
Columbus day ; 

Further resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of the 
aforesaid committee and the press in general. 

C. Barberi, II Presidente. 

[seal.] Giuseppe Zappone, II Secretary. 



COLUMBUS DAY. 23 

SOCIETY AMOR FRATERNO. 

Whereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of 
Rej)resentative8 of the United States of America various Columbus-day bills to 
make October 12 of each year a public and legal holiday: 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the members of this society that the said Judiciary 
Oommittee of the House of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report 
to the said House a bill for the establishment of a public holiday to be known as 
Columbus day. 

Further Resolved. That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of the 
aforesaid committee and the press in general. 

Pottsville, Pa., April 14, 1910. 

Thos. Casole, President. 

[seal.] Carmelo Cremi, Secretary. 



.SOCIETA GROTTAMINARDA, NEWARK, N. J. 

Whereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of 
Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America various Columbue- 
day bills to make October 12 of each year a public and legal holiday: 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the members of this society that the said Judiciary 
Committee of the Hou.se of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report 
to the said House a bill for the establishment of a public holiday to be known as 
Columbus day. 

Further resolved. That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of 
the aforesaid committee and the pres's in general. 

Rocco Remondelli, President. 

[seal.] Pasquale Conte, Secretary. 



SOCIETA STELLA D ITALIA DI MUTUO SOCCORSO DI MAHAXOY CITY, PA. 

Mahanoy City, Pa., April 1.5, 1910. 

Whereas there is now pending before the Committee on Judiciary of the House of 
Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America various Columbus- 
day bills to make October 12 of each year a public and legal holiday: 

Resolved, That it is the sense of this society that the Judiciary Committee of the 
House of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report to the said House 
a bill for the establishment of a public holiday to be known as Columbus day. 

Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of the Com- 
mittee on Judiciary, and that our president represent us at the hearing to be given 
to the Columbus Day League at Washington, I). C., April 19, 1910. 

John Jachetti, President. 

[seal.] John Consorte, Secretary. 



national COLUMBUS ASSOCIATION. 

Mahanoy City, Pa., April IS, 1910. 

Whereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of Rep- 
resentatives of Congress of the United States of America, various bills designating 
October 12 annually a legal holiday: 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the members of this association, in a regular session 
assembled, that the said Committee on Judiciary of the House of Representatives be 
urged to act favorably on and report to the said House a bill for the establishment of 
Columbus day. 

Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of the said 
committee, and that our worthy secretary will go to Washington on April 20 in con- 
junction witli the committee of the National Columbus Day i>eague. when a hearing 
will be granted. 

Resolved, That a copy be forwarded to the press in general. 

Michael Fescina, President. 
John Jachetti, Secretary. 



24 COLUMBUS DAY. 

SOCIETA MUTUO SOCCORSO — GUGLIELMO MARCONI. 

MiDDLETOWN, CoNN., ApHl 14, 1910. 

Whereas, there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of 
Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America, various Columbus- 
day bills, to make October 12, of each year a public and legal holiday: 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the members of this society that the said Judiciary 
Committee of the House of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report 
to the said House a bill for the establishment of a public holiday to be known as 
Columbus day. 

Further resob'ed, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of the 
aforesaid committee and the press in general. 

Carlo Amato, The Presidenle. 

[seal.] Felice Pandolfo, The Secr?taru. 



SOCIETA UNIONE E FRATELLANZA ITALIANA, WASHINGTON, D. 0. 

Whereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of 
Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America various Columbus- 
day bills to make October 12 of each year a public and legal holiday; 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the members of this society that the said Judiciary 
Committee of the House of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report to 
the said House a bill for the establishment of a public holiday to be known as Colum- 
bus day. 

Further resolved. That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of the 
aforesaid committee and the press in general. 

Angelo Chicca, 

President. 
[seal.] Giuseppe Verdi, 

Secretary. 



SOCIETA generals GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI, WASHINGTON, D. C. 

Whereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of 
Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America various Columbus- 
day bills to make October 12 of each year a public and legal holiday; 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the members of this society that the said Judiciary 
Committee of the House of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report 
to the said House a bill for the establishment of a public holiday to be known as Colum- 
bus day. 

Further resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of the 
aforesaid committee and the press in general. 

N. Tambo Acir, 

President. 
[seal.] La Scola Stefano, 

Secretary. 



SOCIETA VITTORIO EMANUELE II, WASHINGTON, D. C. 

Whereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of 
Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America various Columbus- 
day bills to make October 12 of each year a public and legal holiday: 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the members of this society that the said Judiciary 
Committee of the House of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report 
to the said House a bill for the establishment of a public holiday to be known as 
Columbus day. 

Further resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of the 
aforesaid committee and the press in general. 

Giuseppe Costa, President. 

[seal.] Giuseppe Verdi, Secretary. 



COLUMBUS DAY. 25 

SOCIETi, TRINACRIA, WASHINGTON, D. C. 

WTiereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of 
Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America various Columbus- 
day bills to make October 12 of each year a public and legal holiday: 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the members of this society that the said Judiciary 
Committee of the House of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report 
to the said House a bill for the establishment of a public holiday to be known as Colum- 
bus day. 

Further resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of the 
aforesaid committee and the press in general. 

Francesco Russo, President. 

[seal.] W. Catalano, Secretary. 



SOCIETA ARTE E MESTIERI, WASHINGTON, D. C. 

Whereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of 
Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America various Columbus- 
day bills to make October 12 of each year a public and legal holiday: 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the members of this society that the said Judiciary 
Committee of the House of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report 
to the said House a bill for the establishment of a public holiday to be known as 
Columbus day. 

Further resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of the 
aforesaid committee and the press in general. 

MicHELE Ferri, President. 

[seal.] Antonio Fioriello, Secretary. 



COMITATO COLUMBIANO, WASHINGTON, D. 0. 

WTiereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of 
Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America various Columbus- 
day bills to make October 12 of each year a public and le<?al holiday: 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the members of this society that the said Judiciary 
Committee of the House of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report 
to the said House a bill for the establishment of a public holiday to be known as Colum- 
bus day. 

Further resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of the 
aforesaid committee and the press in general. 

ViNCENzo Di Giorgio, 

President. 
[seal.] H. p. Giovino, 

Secretary General. 



COMITATO SOCIETA NAZIONALE DANTE ALIGHIERI, WASHINGTON, D. C. 

Whereas there is now pending before the Judiciary Committee of the House of 
Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America various Columbus- 
day bills to make October 12 of each year a public and legal holiday: 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the members of this society that the said Judiciary 
Committee of the House of Representatives be urged to act favorably on and report 
to the said House a bill for the establishment of a public holiday to be known as 
Columbus day. 

Further resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the chairman of the 
aforesaid committee and the press in general. 

Vincent De NtXNZio, 

President. 
[seal] H. p. Giovino, 

Secretary. 

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